Southern Highlands Line
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "about". Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox rail service Template:SHL Southern Highlands Line
The Southern Highlands Line (SHL) is an intercity rail service that services the Macarthur, Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands regions of New South Wales. First operating in 1869, the service runs from Template:Rwsa across the Main Southern railway line through to Template:Rwsa, with peak hour services extending the route to Template:Rwsa. The railway service operates alongside a bus route from Template:Rwsa to Template:Rwsa, operating on the route of the Picton – Mittagong loop railway line, and a regional coach service from Template:Rwsa to Template:Rwsa on the South Coast Line, operating on the corridor of the Unanderra–Moss Vale railway line.
One of only two routes on the NSW TrainLink intercity network to run entirely on non-electrified railway lines, the Southern Highlands Line is operated with a rolling stock solely consisting of Endeavour railcars, with most services only using two cars. The service spans Template:Convert of railway, making it the most extensive route on the NSW TrainLink network apart from the Blue Mountains Line's Bathurst Bullet service. Despite that, the route spans only 22 stations, making it also the route with the lowest number of stops. An additional 2 stations and Template:Convert of railway are traversed by Southern Highlands trains at peak hours.
History
The Main South line opened in stages to Picton in 1863, Moss Vale in 1867 and Goulburn in 1869.[1]
In 1919, a new section of line opened between Picton and Mittagong, with the original section becoming the Picton-Mittagong loop line.[2] Originally a single track line, it was later doubled with the exception of the Picton-Mittagong loop line.
Services
Most services operate between Campbelltown and Moss Vale with a limited number extending to Sydney Central and Goulburn.[3] All services are operated by NSW TrainLink using Endeavour railcars.
Rail replacement bus services operate between Picton and Bowral paralleling the Picton-Mittagong loop line and Bundanoon and Wollongong paralleling the Moss Vale-Unanderra line. A daytime bus service also operates between Moss Vale and Goulburn.[3] Some stations are also served by NSW TrainLink XPT and Xplorer services from Sydney to Canberra, Griffith and Melbourne.[4]
Up until the mid-1990s, most services on the line operated through to Sydney Central. Named trains that operated on the line included the Goulburn Day Train and Southern Highlands Express. In the late 1980s, air-conditioned HUB/RUB carriages were introduced. These would later be joined by Budd and Tulloch carriages and DEB railcars.[5]
In 1994, all were replaced by Endeavour railcars.[6] Most services were altered to operate only as far north as Campbelltown connecting with Sydney Trains electric services to Sydney.
As of 2014–15, the Southern Highlands Line experiences significantly worse peak hour on-time running performance than other suburban and intercity lines.[7]
Stations
| Name | Railway line | Serving suburbs/towns | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Rwsa | Main Suburban | Haymarket, Chippendale, Ultimo, Surry Hills | Transport hub for Sydney Trains, other Intercity trains, Regional trains, buses and light rail |
| Template:Rwsa | Main South | Glenfield | Interchange with Sydney Trains |
| Template:Rwsa | Campbelltown | Starting point of most services Interchange with Sydney Trains and Regional trains | |
| Template:Rwsa | Ambarvale, Blair Athol, Glen Alpine | Interchange with Sydney Trains | |
| Template:Rwsa | Menangle Park, Gilead | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Menangle | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Douglas Park, Wilton | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Picton, Maldon | Interchange with Picton–Bowral loop line bus | |
| Template:Rwsa | Tahmoor, Couridjah, Buxton, Thirlmere | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Bargo, Yanderra and Pheasants Nest | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Yerrinbool, Colo Vale, Hill Top, Alpine | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Mittagong, Braemar, Balaclava, Willow Vale, Welby, Aylmerton, Renwick |
Interchange with Regional trains and Picton–Mittagong loop line bus | |
| Template:Rwsa | Bowral, Berrima, East Bowral, Glenquarry, Kangaloon | Interchange with Regional trains, Picton–Mittagong loop line bus and Bundanoon – Wollongong Coach | |
| Template:Rwsa | Burradoo | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Moss Vale, Bong Bong, Robertson, Sutton Forest, Burrawang |
Terminus of most services Interchange with Regional trains and Bundanoon - Wollongong Coach | |
| Template:Rwsa | Exeter | Also served by Bundanoon – Wollongong Coach | |
| Template:Rwsa | Bundanoon | Also served by Regional trains and Bundanoon – Wollongong Coach | |
| Template:Rwsa | Penrose | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Wingello | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Tallong | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Marulan | ||
| Template:Rwsa | Goulburn | Also served by Regional trains |
Patronage
Template:NSW TrainLink Intercity patronage by line
References
Further reading
- "Centenary of the Opening of the Southern Line to Picton", Singleton, C.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin July 1963
- "Centenary of the Opening of the Southern Line to Mittagong", Singleton, C.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin March 1967
- "Centenary of the Opening of the Southern Line to Goulburn", Singleton, C.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin May 1969
- Southern Highlands Express Peter Attenborough, Eveleigh Press 2011 Template:ISBN
External links
- Regional Transport Information Transport for NSW
Template:Regional NSW public transport
- ↑ Main South Line Template:Webarchive NSWrail.net
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Template:Cite New South Wales transport timetables
- ↑ Template:Cite New South Wales transport timetables
- ↑ "Southern Passengers" Railway Digest January 1989 page 21
- ↑ "New Timetable Sees Demise of Loco-Hauled Services" Railway Digest July 1994
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".